Tuchola Forest Strategies and Tactics Options

[ScrapyardBob]

Note: Some of this information will change over time as things change during the beta testing phase. But it's still close enough to final so we can start discussing tactics and strategy.

Here's the map. Each one links to a 1600x1200 version.


Base Assault map

[ScrapyardBob]

Spawn Control

Controlling where your team is currently spawning is important on larger maps. One of the nastier situations which can develop is the enemy controlling your spawn (and stealing all of your armor) while your team helplessly spawns at a far away base that only has a single light tank for defense.

This is especially bad for the Germans when they spawn at G3 on Tuchola Forest or G3 on Smolensk (or G1 on Barbarossa). Also bad for the Russians spawning at R1/R3 on Tuchola Forest or R2 on Barbarossa (or R3 on Smolensk).

Things you need to know about spawn logic

1) Knowledge of the map - Does your team spawn in breached bases (mp_ponyri) or only in unbreached bases (Barbarossa, Smolensk, Foy, Tuchola Forest) in addition to the main spawn. You should also know how many spawn points are in each base and their location.

2) The spawn engine will attempt to spawn you close to your teammates and away from any spawn points with enemies closer then 1000u to the spawn point. There's a random factor applied as well, so things aren't a sure bet. It will also attempt to not spawn you at locations where someone was just killed.

Remember, it only checks within 1000u of a spawn point (about as far as you can toss a grenade) for enemies. Plus, the random factor may still cause you to spawn right next to an enemy (so be alert and look around when you spawn).

3) The spawn engine cannot spawn players into spawn points occupied by other entities (vehicles or players or enemies). This is known as "telefragging" in the GSC file (for the curious folks).

Application:

A) Always keep a teammate in the main spawn area (or very close to it).

I do this all the time on Barbarossa when playing German. When the entire team goes on the opening blitz, I hang back and stay in the main tank park, or I patrol the road between G2 and G3 (on Barbarossa). This ensures that when my teammates start dying, they spawn in the tank park or the G2 spawn house rather then at G1.

On Tuchola Forest, there should always be a Russian hanging around the Tank Barn, Spawn House, or in the trenches / bunkers in the main spawn. For Germans, that player should probably stay near the G2 pak gun.

If you're the only player alive in the spawn area and there are enemies around, STAY ALIVE until your teammates start spawning near you. That means - don't engage! Instead, spend a few seconds typing a warning to your teammates while you wait for them to spawn near you. They'll spawn with good intel on what's in the spawn and you'll have reinforcements who can help you clear the spawn area.

B) Block spawn points

This is rather easy in Tuchola Forest. There are only 2 spawn points in each base (one upstairs near the ladder, one downstairs straight ahead from the stairs). Other maps are trickier as they have 3 or 4 spawn points in the base.

When you spawn at a poor location - don't move from your spawn point. By staying on top of the spawn point, you prevent your teammates from also spawning into the bad location. If you manage to block both spawns in the base, you can force your team to start spawning somewhere else.

A rough estimate is that it only takes 30 seconds of blocking the 2 spawn points to force enough of your teammates to spawn elsewhere so that the center of mass changes. That 30 seconds of your time will save your team a world of pain, but requires that you have a companion who understands the concept and spawned inside the base with you.

(IOW, this is a tricky maneuver to pull off. You may be better to get out and hightail it to the main spawn area to pull the center-of-mass for the team back into the main spawn.)

C) Don't block good spawn points

A rough corollary to the advice of blocking bad spawn points. If you spawn in a good spot, move away from the spawn point so that your teammates can spawn behind you in the same spawn point.


This post has been edited by ScrapyardBob: 04/30/06 12:52pm